Meet Lindsay Thomas: Founder of Garland Bags

If you think a piece of fabric can’t change your life, think again. Armed with nothing more than a dream and a passion for purse making, a former pillow maker turned leftover luxury fabric into crave-worthy clutches that add an exclamation point to any statement outfit. Meet Lindsay Thomas, founder of Garland Bags, and learn how this Savannah mother of two found work-life balance while creating a successful Southern brand.

You tried out several careers before starting your own business. What made you finally take the plunge into the entrepreneurial pool?

When I became pregnant with my second child, I was traveling a lot and had a very demanding and stressful job. I decided to make a change and do something that afforded me more flexibility so I could be more present as a mom. We weren’t in a financial position for me to completely quit working, so I tried my hardest to find part-time work that paid well, which isn’t easy.

It became clear that the only way I would achieve the balance I needed was to start my own business and become self-employed. At that point, the only type of work I could really do from home was make pillows. I had an absolute passion for interiors (still do) and was pretty good at sewing, so I decided to start a pillow business. Much to my banker husband’s chagrin …

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Other than a brief stint working in an interior design showroom, you had no previous professional design experience. How did you learn to make your custom pillows?

To be very honest, when we were trying to start our family, I lost my first pregnancy very early on. I was absolutely devastated and found myself grieving every night into the wee hours, unable to fall asleep. I needed a distraction, so I decided to learn to make my own pillows and drapes. This gave me a new project that I knew would light me on fire creatively and, hopefully, distract me from my grief.

I signed up for a weekend sewing class in downtown Savannah, my mother bought me a sewing machine, and the rest is history. I made so many pillows that it wasn’t long before I truly learned to make the perfect one. It was probably the best I’d ever been at anything up until that point.

What was the scariest part of starting your own business?

The money, honey! This was now my only source of income, and the pressure was immense. My husband did some back-of-the-napkin math and gave me a deadline for roughly how long we could go without me making much (… any) money. So it was kind of a race against the clock from there. I approached a beloved local boutique (Courtland & Co.) that blessedly bought just about every single pillow. That truly seeded this company’s beginnings.

Eventually, Courtland approached me with an opportunity to make pillows for a corporate client in the area with an ongoing need. It was an INCREDIBLE opportunity. That’s where things really solidified, and I knew I was going to be able to keep doing this.

Pillows led to purses, then to belts, and now to a soon-to-be clothing line. What was that process like?

The pillow volume took up so much of my bandwidth that I eventually let it go, so I lost my creative outlet in that process. That’s what motivated me to try making clutches from my fabric remnants — I needed a creative project! Since then, it has felt natural to me to add something new every two to three years. I stay open to ideas that feel right and exciting.

We started with the bags that had vintage brooches and belt buckles on the fronts. As the scale of our business grew, I needed to have my own hardware pieces made. From there, we had an idea for how to transform some of our hardware pieces into buckles and create stretchy belts that hook onto them.

Now here we are starting apparel. I do have to admit, I keep having these moments where I’m kind of seeing it all from above and thinking to myself, “How did I become a clothing designer? Where did this come from?”

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How would you describe your personal style?

As an interiors textile fanatic, I’m a huge fan of color and print. My closet looks like it belongs to a creative entrepreneur with ADD. And I really love dresses. I think they’re so easy to wear.

I especially love an A-line dress. It’s a classic, flattering silhouette, and it’s pretty easy to order online without worrying as much about the fit. So you’ll see a good bit of influence from interiors in my pieces. And I’ve always loved a look that’s classic and traditional but with a little fun twist.

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You wear a lot of hats. How do you balance it all?

I started all of this so I could have some sort of balance as a mother. It was very frustrating to me that I had to make a company in order to do so. But it was my only option at the time. At the moment, my job is my creative passion, and I have to literally force myself to shut my computer and go do the rest of life.

I continue to maintain my balance by doing my best not to overload myself. I have kept flexibility and low stress at the forefront of my decision-making around Garland.

I tell people all the time that our company’s mission has always been more focused on its employees’ quality of life than almost anything else. Every single one of us is a mother — even our subcontractors (seamstresses, web designers, bookkeepers). Flexibility and grace are part of the structure here because they are essential to work-life balance.

Where did the name Garland Bags come from?

When I was beginning my pillow business, I was trying to think of a name that would strike the right chord. I was thinking about pillows being that final, top layer of a room that really transforms it, like the garland at Christmas time. So I decided on Garland Pillows! Then, when I began making bags, I switched to Garland Bags. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Most of the best advice I’ve gotten comes from my mom. She has a way of putting things into calm perspective, and that has been such a balm over the years. The advice that has lasted longest and surfaces most often is “This too shall pass.” I say it to my kids, and, of course, it applies to all of us in all parts of life. Things can seem overwhelming, but they have a way of being ok.

Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?

• Cheese. And within the category of cheese, cheese dip probably takes the cake. 
• Melatonin. Most of my life, it’s taken me FOREVER to fall asleep.
• Garland! As I mentioned, this company — and specifically my role in it right now — is beyond fulfilling. Getting to wake up each day and embark on a creative endeavor that’s building something meaningful is beyond words for me.

Lightning Round

• You have one hour of uninterrupted ‘me time.’ What are you doing? Designing future apparel. 
• If you could pick any celebrity to carry one of your bags, who would it be and why? Kate Middleton, and you all know why.
• What’s the most unusual thing in your bag? A cute little ceramic frog, gifted to me by a legendary hostess who considers frogs good luck. I stuck that frog in my purse, and I feel like things have gone pretty damn well for me ever since, so I’m keeping it in there — just in case. 
• Describe yourself in one word. Growing.

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For inspiration from other great Southern women, check out our FACES archives.